2026 Best Value Secondary Education Schools in Alabama
[Secondary Education](/majors/education/teacher-education-development-levels-methods/secondary-education/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong secondary education education at a price that pays off.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 14 schools to find the best return on investment for secondary education students.
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2026 Best Value Secondary Education Schools in Alabama
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in secondary education, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Secondary Education Schools
University Of North Alabama tops our 2026 list of the best value secondary education schools in Alabama. Located in the city of Florence, University Of North Alabama is a large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $12,120, while out-of-state students pay about $22,320. Typical student debt for secondary education graduates is $25,000. Early-career secondary education graduates make about $47,767. Set against $25,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 87%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of West Alabama earned it the #2 place for secondary education. Located in the rural area of Livingston, University Of West Alabama is a moderately-sized public university. In-state tuition and fees average $10,990, while out-of-state students pay about $20,090. Secondary Education graduates carry a median of $31,894 in student loans. Soon after graduation, secondary education degree recipients from University Of West Alabama generally make around $54,953. Set against $31,894 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 43%.
Students looking for strong value in secondary education will find it at Troy University, which ranked #3. Located in the town of Troy, Troy University is a large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $10,176, while out-of-state students pay about $20,352. Students borrow a median of $25,000 to complete the secondary education program here. Soon after graduation, secondary education degree recipients from Troy University generally make around $48,733. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 96%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Alabama State University earned it the #4 place for secondary education. Set in the city of Montgomery, Alabama State University is a mid-sized public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $11,248, while out-of-state students pay about $19,576. Students borrow a median of $34,750 to complete the secondary education program here. Soon after graduation, secondary education degree recipients from Alabama State University generally make around $46,178. That is a strong return on a $34,750 median debt. Alabama State University admits about 98% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Auburn University At Montgomery earned it the #5 place for secondary education. Located in the city of Montgomery, Auburn University At Montgomery is a moderately-sized public university. In-state tuition and fees average $9,700, compared with $20,668 for out-of-state students. Secondary Education graduates carry a median of $30,750 in student loans. Secondary Education graduates of Auburn University At Montgomery earn a median of $47,000 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $30,750 median debt. Roughly 92% of applicants are accepted.
Jacksonville State University earned the #6 position for value in secondary education this year. Located in the suburb of Jacksonville, Jacksonville State University is a large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $12,894, compared with $23,334 for out-of-state students. Secondary Education graduates carry a median of $25,114 in student loans. Soon after graduation, secondary education degree recipients from Jacksonville State University generally make around $46,239. That is a strong return on a $25,114 median debt. Jacksonville State University admits about 78% of applicants.
University Of South Alabama landed the #7 spot for secondary education value this year. University Of South Alabama is a large public school located in the city of Mobile. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $10,116, with out-of-state students paying around $19,092. Secondary Education graduates carry a median of $26,000 in student loans. Soon after graduation, secondary education degree recipients from University Of South Alabama generally make around $45,991. That is a strong return on a $26,000 median debt. Roughly 71% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Montevallo earned the #8 position for value in secondary education this year. Located in the town of Montevallo, University Of Montevallo is a mid-sized public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $13,948, while out-of-state students pay about $26,968. Secondary Education graduates carry a median of $24,750 in student loans. Secondary Education graduates of University Of Montevallo earn a median of $45,558 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $24,750 median debt. The acceptance rate is 54%.
University Of Alabama At Birmingham landed the #9 spot for secondary education value this year. University Of Alabama At Birmingham is a very large public school located in the city of Birmingham. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,098, compared with $22,562 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $31,000 to complete the secondary education program here. Soon after graduation, secondary education degree recipients from University Of Alabama At Birmingham generally make around $47,938. Set against $31,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Alabama At Birmingham admits about 88% of applicants.
University Of Alabama At Huntsville came in at #10 for value in secondary education this year. Set in the city of Huntsville, University Of Alabama At Huntsville is a moderately-sized public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $12,132, with out-of-state students paying around $26,408. Typical student debt for secondary education graduates is $24,797. Early-career secondary education graduates make about $54,661. That is a strong return on a $24,797 median debt. Roughly 69% of applicants are accepted.
The University Of Alabama came in at #11 for value in secondary education this year. The University Of Alabama is a very large public school located in the city of Tuscaloosa. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $12,180, compared with $34,172 for out-of-state students. Secondary Education graduates carry a median of $26,875 in student loans. Soon after graduation, secondary education degree recipients from The University Of Alabama generally make around $47,876. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 77% of applicants are accepted.
Auburn University earned the #12 position for value in secondary education this year. Auburn University is a very large public school located in the city of Auburn. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $12,890, compared with $34,922 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for secondary education graduates is $22,250. Soon after graduation, secondary education degree recipients from Auburn University generally make around $47,618. That is a strong return on a $22,250 median debt. Roughly 46% of applicants are accepted.
Samford University ranked #13 on our 2026 list of the best value secondary education schools. Samford University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Birmingham. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $40,150. Secondary Education graduates carry a median of $24,250 in student loans. Secondary Education graduates of Samford University earn a median of $46,164 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 82%.
More Secondary Education Rankings
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 14 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 11 ranked schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
